Submarine mine.



G. B. RILEY & H. 0. MOCK.

SUBMARINE MINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 1 1. I918.

Patented Feb. 18, 1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

G. B. R|LEY.& H. 0. MOCK.

SUBMARINE MINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-17.1918.

Patented Feb.18,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIGE.

. GERARD BROOK RILEY AND HERBERT OCTAVIUS MOCK, 0E LONDON, ENGLAND.

SUBMARINE MINE.

' Specification of Letters Patent; Patented. Feb 18 1919,

Application filed January 17, 1918. Serial No. 212,370.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, GERARD BROOK RILEY, commander R. N., and HERBERT Oo- TAVIUS .MOQKV, lieutenant commander R. N. V. R, subjects of the King of England, residing in London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Submarine Mines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sinkers or anchors for submarine mines of the kind in which the mooring cable or the like connecting the mine and sinker is carried on a winding drum, from which it is paid out as the sinker falls to the bottom, the winding drum being provided with a ratchet cooperating with a spring pawl which is adapted to be held away from the ratchet by a plummet weight during laying of the mine.

The object of this invention is to provide a locking device which cooperates with the winding drum to lock positively the same against rotation at a desired interval after the mine and sinker enter the water, thereby preventing any rotation of the drum, and any further paying out of the mooring cable, even if the springs of the pawl should break to allow the pawl to fall away from the ratchet. I

A locking device according to this invention comprises a member connected to the pawl or pawls of the winding drum, and

member to locking position, a catch may be provided operated by a hydrostatic valve, to engage the member and prevent any upward movement of the valve until the same is operated to withdraw the catch.

A construction of locking device according to this'inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a part vertical section of a locking device provided with a hydrostatically operated catch. Fig. 2 is an elevation at right angles to'Fig, 1 of the locking device and Fig. 3 is a view showing in full lines the device mounted in the sinker, the sinker, drum pawl, etc., being shown in dotted lines.

As shown, the sinker comprises a shell A having a base portion A. Side plates B are mounted on the base of the sinker and in these side plates B the winding drum C is journaled. This winding drum has its cheeks C toothed or serrated, and with these teeth the pawls D are adapted to engage, the springs D tending to normally maintain the pawls D in engagement with the toothed cheeks of the drum.

Interposed between the pawls D and the plummet E is the locking device comprising our invention which is indicated as a whole formed at the upper end with flanges or lugs 4, to which arms or levers connectedto the pawls for the winding drum ratchet are piv-' oted, the pivots beingmounted in elongated slots 5 in the flanges or lugs to give the required lateral travel. The lower end of the.

member 1 is adapted to be connected to the chain of the plummet such asby a shackle 6.

The member 1 is slotted internally, tore.

ceive locking arms 7, which are mounted on a common pivot 8, secured in the member, and are normally pressed outward by a spring 9, so as to tend to project beyond the sides of the member 1. V

A slip hand, ring or the like 10 is mounted on the memberl so as to retain the locking arms 7 within the member 1, prior to the launching of the mine gear.

A hydrostatic valve 11 of any suitable form is mounted on the sinker shell A and its valve rod 12 is provided orformed with a catch 13 engaging over a correspondingly recessed part 14 of the flanges 4.

' The position of the device when cooked ready for launching the mine gear is shown in Fig. 1.

' When the mine is launched and enters the.

water the plummet will sink at 'a faster rate than the sinker so that the member 1 is kept in a downward position by the pull of the plummet chain. If the locking device was not previously cocked, the pull in the plummet chain will effect this operation. Any upward movement of the member 1 will be prevented by thecatch 13 on the valve rod 12. On the sinker reaching a pre-determined depth the hydrostatic valve will be position is the tension in theplumn et ch in'- Oh "theplummet; reaching" the bottom the ltension in the chain'is relieved and the n e'm ber ljis' drawn upwardly through the open-V with the ratchets on the Winding drum toz V prevent the same from rotating and the locking-armS ;.7 Willfbe forced outward by the spring 8.1 The Winding drum "Wlll now be lockedfandthe inker willtravel-to the bottom drawing the mine 'beneaththe surface to the desired .de'pth- Should any :pull come Z en the, inding drumtendingto rotate the same to pay out 7 more mooring-cabl -or the springs of the 'P Wls break or become otherwise inoperative so that'they would not keep the pawls upto theirv work, the locking-arms 7-by abutting against the shell A (if the sinker will prevent downward movementof :the levers and any -l i g ey 101 the P -To -.prevent any return o ffthevalvefrod 12 t -lihe-qu wafd Po ons i er h i first mov 'ment inward, a1 lock is provided;consistingv ofla pin 15 on-the rod; l2, engaging inan .L au e shaped slotlGfih ac-pivoted p1a te l7;

whicliinormally tends :to move downward nder theactioniof the spring -l8.- gThe bear- 1mg for the valve rodis" slotted to allovv the requisite'travel of the pin 15 ,Qn the valve in lifl lfiwit the vertical parts of -the slot, V hs ptin vl u th p a '1 ,0 ts P v to bring the vertical slot in engagement;

with' the pin an "thevalve rod 12'.

d so prevent any;- return of "It will thus be seen the combinem hydro-mechanical device above described provides for the Winding drum being free to revolve at the moment of launching of the mine,- thereby {preventing any T jerkcoming 7 on the mooring cabl for a positive locking action of the winding drunrbefore the sinker reaches the bottom thereby preventing the 7 mine from remaining on the surface and clisclosingthe presence of the minefield, and -forrthe mlnes to be laid at a-pre-d'etermined depth. Also,- plummet disconnectors, which ar costly to, manu act r End-"are not absothe construotion described in the-s ecifica-- V tionfgofjapplication for patent may e 'used.

Having now particularly described and."

- r ascertained thenature of our said invention.

' ll" Wh man r Same is to be. per 7 5 r ed, c'declaretha-t shame 'claim iszs e" :inol'ud ing a plummet, comp-rising at body .cportionexte' nding through an aperture in the sinker and having one end connected to' jtli'pawl and the other end connected to the plummet, (said body portion beingadapted t be: dra n ii itcsthe, i Sinker,

.and spring actuated locking arms pivoted ing-inthe sinker bytlie springs ofwthe 'pawls, wh ch il on quently be me" engaged;

to Said y pe o f r enga in theinner wen-1110i the sinker thereby locking the pawl in drum engaging positio r 1 "2. locking device for theiwindingdruinpavvl' of asubmarine I'nine'; sinker of the type including a" plummet, comprising a bodyportion hav-ing, one end connected to I the pawl and the other'end connected to the plummet, and inwardly into'the interior of V the sinker 'under'the influence Of't'he-Wind ing drum paW-l,- spriiigfl actuated loeking arms pivoted to said ibody portion for en'- gagingl the inner Wall ,of the sinker,

a slip ring "normally, "holdingisaid' "lockingarms in inoperative position but adapted to" be automatically ithdrawn to allow said lockingarms to become operative.

3. A locking device for the Windingldrum' pawl'of-a submarine mine sinker of thetype' including a plummet, .zcomprisin'g locking means having 5 one end thereof connected to the pawl and the. otherend; connected to .the-

plummet; la-icatoh engaging said j 'locking means for holding same in inoperative positiomiand hydrostatic means controlling "said catch and adapted to Withdraw said catch from engagement with said-locking'nieans.

A lockingdevice for'the Windingdrumpawl of a submari'nemine sinker of the type 7 including a plummet,- comprising locking 'means having "one'end connected to the pawl and the other end connected-to the'plumniet,

a catch engaging said locking meansgihydro-r static means controlling] said "catch i an d adapted to withdrawsaid' catchz from ent gagement With" said locking means, and

means for locking said catclr'in disengaged position. 7 V V.

lQcking including 'a plummet comprising locking means to lioldrasanie in inoperative position;

"hydrostatic 511163 13 for :vvithdravv ingr said catch froin engagement with said locking means i and means for locking said" catch in disengaged-f positiomi said means:including af pin provided- :ofn: said; catch: and a -plate provid'ed--wvithan Lj-shea. slot said 1 pinengages.

6; A iockin ide'vic;ioifthe tiiiidinguruin i j 115 device for the Winding drum n ,pawlof asubmarine mine sinker of .theitype pawl of submarine mines comprising a body portion provided With recesses, locking arms pivoted to said body portion and adapted to nest Within said recesses in inoperative position and a spring for forcing said arms out or" id recesses into operative position.

Y. A locking device for the Winding drum pawl of sub: tine mines comprising a body portion, locking arms pivoted to said body portion, means for ur 'ing said arms aWay from said body portion to locking position and means embracin' said body portion and said tl-IZLS and adapted to slide along said body portion to maintain said arms in inoperative position orto release them to locking position.

8. A locking device for the inding drum pawl of subnn e mines comprising a body portion, locking arms pivoted to said body portion, means for urging said arms away from said body portion to locking position a d a slip ring normally holding said looking arms in inoperative position but adapted to be automatically Withdrawn to allow said locking arms to become operative.

9. A loclnng device for the Winding drum pawl of submarine mines comprising a body portion provided with recesses and locking arms pivoted to said body portion and adapted to nest Within said recesses in inoperative position or to be moved from said recesses into locking position.

10. A locking device for the winding drum pawl of submarine mines comprising a body portion, locking arms pivoted to said body portion, means for maintaining said locking arms in looking position, a catch adapted to engage said body portion to maintain said device inoperative, and hydrostatic means for controlling said catch.

11. A locking device for the Winding drum pawl of submarine mines comprising a body portion, locking arms pivoted to said body portion, means for maintaining said locking arms in looking position, a catch adapted to engage said body portion to maintain said device inoperative, hydrostatic means for controlling said catch, and means for looking said catch in disengaged position.

. Signed at London, England, this 30th day of November, 1917.

onnARD BRooK RILEY. HERBERT OCTAVIUS MooK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

